In the reconstructed Raudnitz House in Prague 5, there is now a home for seniors

Prague - In the reconstructed Raudnitz house in Prague 5, 22 apartments with nursing services have been created for seniors. The building in the Prague neighborhood of Hlubočepy also features spaces for a community center and a wellness center, which will be operated by the Social and Nursing Care Center of Prague 5. Representatives of the municipal district informed journalists today.

"The trend in society is that the population is aging. It is necessary to take care of our seniors and ensure them a dignified life," said the mayor of the fifth municipal district, Renáta Zajíčková (ODS).

According to the mayor, Prague 5 is currently working on increasing the capacity for senior housing. In addition to the newly established nursing service building (DPS) in the Raudnitz house, 30 apartments designated for seniors are planned to be built in a new construction near the Raudnitz house. According to Zajíčková, the project has a building permit and construction could begin in 2023 or 2024. The city hall of Prague 5 plans to create more dozens of apartments for seniors in Motol. There, a new DPS is likely to rise this year in place of the currently closed cultural center Poštovka, the mayor told ČTK.

In the building, which is also referred to as the Castle of Hlubočepy, 22 apartments for seniors, two apartments for teachers, and one apartment for the caretaker have been created. The apartments have layouts of 1+kk and 2+kk. According to the councilor of Prague 5, Petr Lachnit (ANO), seniors are expected to move into the apartments in February. The new community center and wellness center, where services will be provided among others by a masseur and a hairdresser, will be managed by the Social and Nursing Care Center of Prague 5. The building also includes a general practitioner’s office, which will serve the public as well.

The project has been in preparation for more than ten years. The project documentation was prepared by Architekti Headhand for 2.3 million crowns, and the construction work was carried out by the companies POHL and AQUASYS. The companies won the tender with a proposed amount of 137.1 million crowns including VAT, and the construction price grew to 162.2 million crowns including VAT over the two years since the contract was signed. The estimated value of the contract, which the city hall announced in February 2019, was 85 million crowns excluding VAT. According to representatives of Prague 5, construction work began in October 2019 and lasted approximately two years.

The Raudnitz house is a registered cultural monument owned by the municipal district of Prague 5. The history of the building dates back to the 16th century, and it acquired its current neoclassical appearance in the 19th century. In modern history, it has served as a residence.

The fifth municipal district has approximately 85,000 residents and includes Hlubočepy, Košíře, Motol, Radlice, Smíchov, and parts of Jinonice, Malá Strana, and Břevnov. It is one of the Prague municipal districts with significant residential construction. The largest project is the new Smíchov City quarter on the site of the former Smíchov freight station, where housing for up to 3,300 people is planned. The Sekyra Group started construction in 2020.